The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-03-10

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for bravery in life-ssving rank equal to those
OF his military career. His name is known by
the tens Of thousands who every Summer feel
only too safe when Capt. Rhodes's life-bOat
dances on the surf in their midst.
Many viii remember that on Aug. ID, 1856,
az Atlantic City his lifebOat was upset and five
women, one man and a boy were preciptated
into the ocean. The accident was caused by
two careless swimmers. who SWAN of and left
the helpless women 10 drown. But Capt.
Rhodes, with superhuman strength, placed
them a. q cl:nGing position TO the boat, and
then taking the ladies one :. a time swan
ashore with them, singly, clinging to mas
shoulders.
Washington and Baltimore people we'll know
Capt. Rhodes, aud can vOuch for his bravery
IN the water as well as the Congress OF the
United States has for his war record by grant
ing him a medal. His medal is the l96th ever
issued by the Government, outside Of the 9th
Me. the members of which were all granted
medals, by order Of the Secretary of War, for
serving in a battle after their time had expired.
MAJ.-GEN. SCHUYLER HAMILTON.
An unexpected but very welcome visitor to
the Office OF THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE last week
was Ma. Gen. Schuyler Hamilton, who was a
distinguished soldier in two wars. He is
grandson of Alexander Hamilton, the great
Secretary OF the Treasury. and a great-grand-
son OF Gen. Philip Schuyler, OF Revolutionary
fame. He graduated from West Point and
was appointed Second Lieutenant OF the LIST
L. 5. Inf in lSil. In one battle in the Next
can war he was shot in the abdomen by an
escopeite ball and left Tor dead hut he recovered
and took part in the next days fight. In
another engagement his skull was fractured,
and at Mira Flores, while leading 30 men IN
successful attempt to cut through body Of
$50 MeKicans, he killed one Of the enemy with
his own hand, but received a lance thrust
through his breast. He received two breyets
for gallant and meritorious conduct. lie sub
sequently became Gen. Winfield Sc0tts Mill
tary Secretary, but resigned from the Regular
Army in 1855 10 engage in business IN Cali
fornia. where his brother-in-law III. w. Hal
leck, resided. The firing on Fort Sumter found
him on his farm in Connecticut. He immedi-
ately went TO New York, and marched with
the 9Th \. y. TO the Capital as private. Gen.
Butler found him outand put him 10 duty on ms
staff, bat on arriving in Washington Gen. Scott
ordered him to resume his position as his Mill
tary Secretary. Ia this capacity he rendered
the Government very valuable service, and
WAS At length commissioned Brigadler-General
and assigned TO duty With his brother-in-law,
Gen. Halleck at St. Louis There he organized
and drilled over 30 regiments Of the Army of
the Mississippi. In response 10 has urgent re-
quests he was allowed at last TO 90 TO the field.
and planned and carried out the famous can al
which gave Gen. Pope possession Of Island No.
10 and New Madrid. lie was made Major
General for this, and commanded Division in
the advance upon Corinth.
GEN. SCOTT ON THE BATTLE OF BULL RUN.
Gen. Scott was strongly opposed 10 fighting
the battle OF Bull Rum" said Gen. Hamilton
in the course of the conversation. He felt
that it would be much wiser TO delay action for
while, for he was afraid, from the situation,
that the Union sentiment had been taken by
surprise, and that il was beginning 90 reassert
itself with the prospect OF ultimately 0yercom, :,
ing The mad Secessionists. If conflict wa
avoided for while, il would help the Union
feeling. but If blood was shed then the
Unionists would be swept into the tide with
the rest. His idea was TO form a great camp
near Aenia, o.. where the troops could be as
scmbled, drilled and organized. while gunboats
were being built 10 navigate the rivers. Then,
when all was ready, il the rebellion still made
Roadway, il could be attacked with such force
as 10 crush ii. lie was Overruled in the Cabi-
net, where they felt that il was necessary TO
make show Of activity in dealing with the
instruction. He had reasoned with the Cabi-
net that the force which Mcdowell led 10 Bull
Run was largely composed of three months
men, whose term OF service had expired or
about TO expire; that they had shown their
patriotism by coming out SO promptly and stay
ing SO long. aud that il was unreasonable TO
expect further sacrifices of them. aud for this
reason there was a great danger Of panic.
Montgomery Blair, OF the Cabinet. insisted that
he could march an army Of 10000 men armed
with laths 10 Richmond. The night after the
battle Of Bull Run everybody in Washington
was panic-stricken, but Gen. Scott was cool. and
tried TO reassnre them that there was no seri-
Gus danger. He pointed out 10 the Cabinet,
aud 10 the Members of Congress who crowded
10 has headquarters, that tbs rebels could not
reach the city 10 endanger il. That the forti-
fcations at the bridges and elsewhere would
stop them even if they had the means of trans
pOrtation 60 come this far. He saw Montgom-
cry Blair among the crowd and asked him what
he thought now Of marching 10 Richmond
armed with laths Somebody called out that
our men were towards lie rose up and said,
IN his commanding way, No. they are not
towards. They will fight as well as anybody.
The only coward was Gen. Scott. who let the
battle be fought"
A SERIOUS LOSS.
Col. Robert n. Scott. Lieutenant-C Colonel,
Sd Art, and Chief Of the publication Office Of
the Rebellion Records, died Oh Saturday after
noon in Washington. He had been absent
from his office but three days. Col. Scott was
born at Winchester, Tenn, on Jan. q, 1885,
aud was appointed Second Lieutenant Of the
9TH L. S. Inf from California ia 1857. In
lS6l be was promoted TO First Lieutenant.
AdJutant and Captain, respectively; June 27,
1852, was brevetted Major for gallant and meri-
toriOus services at the battle Of Gaines's Mill,
Va, in which he was wounded. and March -.
1865, was brevetted Lieutenant Colonel for
meritOrious services In 1870 he was assigned
10 the 10th Inf, shortly afterward transferred
TO the 30 Art, promoted 70 Major, and March
y, 1865, promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. Col.
Scott was the author Of very valuable Digest
OF the Military Laws Of the United States,
which was published in 1872, and did excellent
work in the capacity Of compiler Of the records
of the late war
The death of Col Scott is a serious loss
10 the Army aud 10 the Government. His
great knowledge Of the inside history of the
rebellion, and his remarkable aptitude for the
work in which he was engaged cannot be du-
plIealed In the whole ARMY. The selection Of